Bordeaux (AFP) – Jonathan David made sure that Lille kept pace with Ligue leaders Paris Saint-Germain with the only goal in a 1-0 win at Rennes on Sunday to move them level on points with the champions.
David pounced in the 16th minute when Yusuf Yazici’s corner was palmed out to him by Rennes goalkeeper Romain Salin, the Canada forward lashing home to put Lille on 45 points.
The 21-year-old’s fourth league goal of the season was his second winner in as many weeks after striking in injury time against Reims last time out.
His strike handed Rennes, who are fifth on 36 points, their first defeat in eight matches.
Christophe Galtier’s Lille are equal with PSG after their third win in a row which also ensures that they cannot be overtaken by third-placed Lyon.
Lyon are five points behind the two pace-setters ahead of their match later on Sunday at fierce local rivals Saint-Etienne, who sit four points above the relegation zone in 16th.
They will be hoping to bounce back after their 16-match unbeaten run came to an end last week at the hands of Metz, with les Verts on a run of five games without a win and coming into Sunday’s match off two straight defeats.
Bordeaux sit in seventh on 32 points after an early brace from South Korea striker Hwang Ui-Jo powered them to a 2-1 home win over Angers.
The hosts’ coach Jean-Louis Gasset played Hwang as the focal point of his attack again Sunday after their 3-0 win at Nice last week where the former Gamba Osaka forward also opened the scoring.
At the Matmut Atlantique he poached the first goal after eight minutes, before slotting home three minutes later to make him his side’s top league scorer with five goals so far this season.
“I’m happy for Hwang and his two goals, he never hesitates to drift wide. He’s a brave player, finding his feet,” Gasset said of the player who has little French language skills.
“He is great on the counter and a wonderful player to coach,” Gasset said in praise of the player who had a quiet first season in 2019-2020 scoring six goals.
Bordeaux’s performance fell away with the two-goal cushion but they held on for a win that lifted them above Angers, who drop down to 10th.
